As told by Andrei Sharenda, he was detained on a city bus on January 16. The policemen said that the activist supposedly looked like a man who had committed an offense and took him to the Maskouski police department of Brest.

The activist first faced charges under Article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (disorderly conduct), and then he was accused under Article 21.14 of the Code (violation of the rules of improvement and maintenance of settlements). The second offense is alleged linked to the fact that Andrei Sharenda was pasting leaflets with portraits of missing Belarusian politicians and famous people.

The activist was then taken to the court of Maskouski district of Brest, where he was expected to stand trial on charges of disorderly conduct. However, having read the case file, the judge sent it back for revision and the activist was allowed to go home.

Human rights activist Raman Kisliak says that the case is arbitrary detention. “By doing this, law enforcement agencies want to suppress the wave of pasting portraits of disappeared politicians and famous people: this action takes place on the 16th day of each month in the streets of the city,” said Kisliak.